Rant - Capita Support

[matt40k]

I'm basically getting annoyed at the front line support, who appear to be "cherry picking" call. Where they select only easy, quick calls. Is this just me or are others finding this?

 

I submit a simple query with a low impact and I get a response very quickly. I also, just before submit a more complex query that I get a response a few hours later.

 

I've submit a simple, how do you do something, which I got a response very quickly and I'm not waiting from my response of, try this, and it's errored (you see where I went with this).

 

Anyway, I don't want to go off complaining to Capita moaning without checking with others if it's just mean. I mean I don't know if they have to go ask someone or whatever which is making it take longer (new staff whatever).

 

Other thing that's annoying me is when you ask them to contact the school directly, as the schools as for more information and I don't want to waste MORE time doing the piggy in the middle, I don't mind doing the technical to beginner translations, but when it comes to "this fix\patch will be billable" it gets more stupid.

 

Bah.... it's be a long week of Learning Aims, year taught in and other "fun" Census "problems"

 

And as one of the primary schools has just remind me it's Friday. w00t Friday!!! Yip.

[Geoff]

* Dons manglement hat

 

This is due to a defect in the procedures used to measure the performance of captias help desk team (I know this because I've seen it happen before elsewhere). This situation arises when 1st support performance is judged purely on the quantity of calls/tickets/problems fixed. Arguably a useless statistic.

 

The way to solve the issue is to do time recording on faults so you can measure how long faults are taking to fix as well as how many. This results in one 4 hour problem being 'worth' the same amount in 'performance' as eight 30min problems. Thus 1st line support will deal with all problem mostly equally (unless there's a 'priority' system in place as well).

 

* Removes manglement hat.

[matt40k]

I know... Hostgator... yer.. Hostgator, made it so call was assigned to active support people, like with your telephone call system.

 

Not sure how this would work.

 

We use, a system where you can pick and choose. This is mainly because i'm useless at timetabling issues, but I can deal with technical issues like new server, solus issues whatever.

 

I suppose Capita could only do this if they had, like a microsoft qualification. You have complete the first line support training. You deal with everything (look on knowledgebase - google powered ) then pass on to a specialist if you can't fix it.

[TechMonkey]

To be fair it could also be that the simple things they have seen or had advisories on so can responed themselves straight away. The more complex ones they may have to pass up the chain & wait for a reply. Still shows a fault in their system though as you should get some feedback that your query is being responded to, even if it is just an autoreply saying "your question ahs been escalated."

[moggy]

One of the tricks they have applied to 'tricky' problems with me is to open one case. Then they give you somthing to try, if it doesn't solve the problem, maybe just move it on a bit, they close that call and raise another.

 

Looks great on their call to fix times but no good to me. If I recall correctly I had one problem which spawned four calls before it was solved.

[CyberNerd]

The way to solve the issue is to do time recording on faults so you can measure how long faults are taking to fix as well as how many. This results in one 4 hour problem being 'worth' the same amount in 'performance' as eight 30min problems. Thus 1st line support will deal with all problem mostly equally (unless there's a 'priority' system in place as well).

Then they'd just spend twice the amount of time 'fixing' less complicated faults.

[matt40k]

With that said there are a few people who are good at Capita.

 

Like Simon Reilly, I don't think many people hear about him as he's stuck at the back doing the school manager \ SOLUS stuff... which is always good cause it means it works. However whoever let him take holday this week should be shot! He should be nailed to Capita building and allowed to see his wife and child once he has complete all my request for the million and a half patches the development team keeps making that I'm told I need to deploy to the 340+ schools

 

(Na I'm not asking the nice office lady to run dbattach, (auto)SOLUS will do me)

[Mcshammer_dj]

Personally I am generally happy with the support I get from the Capita Helpdesk.

 

There is nothing more gratifying that discovering a problem, check supportnet and the raising a call as there is nothing on supportnet, only for Helpdesk to joyfully announce that they will search for a solution. Once they also discover that there is no fix available they will raise the call and assure me that an analyst will be in touch.

 

There is normally then the great game of guess the fix!! this seems to involve an analyst sending a solution that may have a slight similarity to the actual issue. Linked to this will be a suggestion that I should upgrade to the latest release or send in the data.

 

Even when I have asked for a call back!!!!!!

 

Other times I raise calls and then get nothing back from the call. I recently had a call that has sat for over 2 months with no actions.

[PhilNeal]

I would be really grateful if you would complain directly to the service managers if you feel that you have had poor service from the desk. I can't follow up complaints from anonymous postings.

[Mcshammer_dj]

Phil I have complained to the service desk.

 

Regarding the bad information given etc I closed the call with disatisfied. I am awaiting a call to discuss.

 

The call that stayed open I only got a responce when I called in to find out why. It had sat with a team called third party support.

 

I am not normally given to airing in public but have found that recently we are seeing an increase in calls that are dealt with by either data or a suggestion that we should upgrade. I am in no way saying that I don't want to upgrade but would like to have at least a reason for upgrading. It often appears that the request to upgrade is a hope that it may fix a problem with no attempt to work out what had caused the issue.

[matt40k]

I would be really grateful if you would complain directly to the service managers if you feel that you have had poor service from the desk. I can't follow up complaints from anonymous postings.

 

It's not really a complaint, it's more. I want to see more. Can you add it so we see when they ask another person or such or searched internal knowledgebase or whatever. So at least we know they looked at it, rather then feeling a bit ignored.

 

 

EDIT:

FYI: Search for "SIMS User Support" document which details there lovely support and the complaints etc.

[Oops_my_bad]

I have to say, even though I sometimes slag off Capita and their extortionate fees for "economy" support, I've actually been quite impressed with their support recently - but then again we don't tend to waste their time with plebby issues or issues arising due to user stupidity, and most stuff is on supportnet anyway. In September I had 2 quite complex issues, They were fixed within 2 hours by a proper consultant bloke over the blower and not helpdesk monkey.

 

it's a big help if you have checked supportnet first and run the latest release - this gives them limited room to try fobbing you off

[jcollings]

I have to say that on the whole Capita support works for me. There are times when I get frustrated but on balance I find them pretty good. I rarely get a first line fix but the 2 calls I logged this week were sorted out within an hour so and that seems to be the norm (at least over the past few months).